The present invention relates to on-hold telephone devices. It also relates to an interface between on-hold devices and pagers in a PBX environment and to the digital downloading of signals to the on-hold devices.
Many businesses have PBX equipment to provide their telephone service. One standard peripheral for a PBX are "on-hold" players, which provide music or other announcements to callers who are placed on hold. Examples of on-hold players are Bogen Communication Corporation's HSR product, Neltech's TELink700 product and Premier's 10H2000RU product.
Businesses with chains of stores commonly use on-hold devices. Each store in the chain typically has common messages that announce sales, store hours and other information that is common to all stores in the chain. In many cases, these chains prefer that each on-hold device be programmed to play the same message or messages.
Existing on-hold devices have several drawbacks, particularly as far as the chains of stores are concerned. First, the ability of the chains to change the message at the on-hold devices at each store is limited. One method in use today to change messages is to send a tape through the mail. The tape is then inserted into the equipment and the new message downloaded into the equipment. This method, however, is slow--typically taking several days to accomplish. A newer method allows the message to be downloaded in analog format from a remote location, usually over a telephone line.
This method is problematic due to the noise from the telephone line, which can be considerable, finding its way into the message.
The second limitation is noticed when it is desired to change the operating system software or other software. Such a change generally requires that the equipment be brought off-line so that it can be connected to a controller in order for the new software to be downloaded. This severely limits the ability to update the equipment.
Today's on-hold devices also have other limitations. For example, they are not capable of interfacing to equipment other than a PBX. Therefore, they offer limited functionality.
In view of these and other limitations, new and improved on-hold devices are needed.